Monday, August 24, 2009

Double Down

Opinion - Reuben Dagwood

A typical approach to marketing is to create a product that “isn’t your father’s [whatever]”. This is not a new phenomenon to our generation. In fact this has been going on for decades. It’s a simple way to add life to a product by attempting to appeal to “the younger crowd”.

Sometimes, this approach involves nothing more than a change in marketing campaign. Take the same product and make some hip young ads for it. It’s a relatively inexpensive way to appeal to a whole new batch of customers.

Another approach is to make some dramatic decisions regarding the packaging and the composition of the product itself. This can be a bit more expensive, but also, in essence, creates a whole new product, eliminating any concern of offending the loyal followers of your original item.

And then, there is the third variety: the face raping destruction of an icon. And, in this vein, I submit to you the attempt to do so to our beloved idea of a sandwich by the American company, KFC: The Double Down Sandwich.

8 comments:

AS said...

This is disgusting. I don't mean that it is literally disgusting - I'd likely eat one of these given half a chance, and might end up going to Rhode Island or Nebraska to test one of these. (Also, seriously? These are the test markets? Why not Alabama, or Arkansas, or Texas? Is it because the people there are already fat enough, and might eat anything placed before them without discrimination, and you want to see if these are successful with normal people?) But I have to agree with Reuben - the whole idea of just putting something ("A") between two pieces of something else ("B") and calling it a sandwich is absurd. Yes, I recognize that the Detroit Grand Pubahs sang a song about sex called "Sandwiches" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHfHs2qpaSM) but that doesn't mean we're going to watch a tape of them having sex and review it. Is that too much of a stretch? I hope not. Bartleby, you can quote me on this: Sex is not Sandwiches, nor, I think, is this crap.

KFC: for shame.

Beau

AS said...
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Unknown said...
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AS said...
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Rueby Dagwood said...
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AS said...
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Andie D'Angelo said...

C'mon...its looks awesome! Who wants to go to Nebraska with me to try one?

AS said...

Such a trip may require the chartering of a private jet.